Greenery, aesthetics inspire third rail system for Bengaluru Metro

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Greenery and aesthetics inspired Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) to incorporate a third rail system, sending the power lines propelling the metro trains under the wheels than overhead fixtures, said an official on Tuesday.

"A conscious decision was taken that in Bengaluru Metro traction would be not through over head equipment. We are a green city. We have got a large number of trees and green area, so the overhead wires may interfere with trees leading to problems," said BMRCL managing director Pradeep Singh Kharola.

Unlike Delhi Metro and Hyderabad Metro which have overhead power supply, Namma Metro's third rail system runs a yellow power line parallel to the metro track powering the trains.

"Our traction is third rail system. You can see on the side a yellow track. You can't go near the yellow track. It is carrying very high current, that is 1,500 volts DC," said Kharola.

Delhi Metro is powered by 25,000 volts AC.

However, no barricades were set up on the platforms in Bengaluru Metro to avert any unexpected accidents.

Other major difference highlighted by Kharola between Delhi and Bengaluru is the type of gauge employed in the Metro systems.

"Delhi Metro has two types of gauges, one is broad gauge and the other standard gauge. We have only one standard uni-guage, so it is a single guage all through the network," said Kharola.

Though Bengaluru Metro was started some years after Delhi Metro, having the advantage of incorporating better technology than the latter, Khaora said Bengaluru Metro is not superior to Delhi Metro but different.

Talking about wifi facility in the underground stretches of Namma Metro, Kharola said bids were invited from telecom service providers to take space on hire.

"We have called bids by which we are giving space on hire to the service provider so they have to pay. When the signal comes, wifi can also travel on that," he added.

--IANS

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